Guide for switch and signal rods.



Paterited Dec. 3|, |9o|.

A. H. RENSHAW. GUIDE FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL RODS.

[Appiication filed Sept. 6, 1901.)

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N0. 690,!83. Patentad Dec. 3|, IQOI.

A.'H. RENSHAW. GUIDE FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL RODS.

(Application filed Sept. 6, 1901.) (No Model.)

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ALFRED ll. RENSHAVV, OF TROY, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD SIGNALCOMPANY, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

GUIDE FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL RODS.

SPEJLFI'GATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,183, datedDecember 31, 1901.

Application filed September 6. 1901. Serial No. 74,551. (No model.)

To all whom it 712,037 concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. Rnnsnaw, a citizen of the United States,residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer', and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Guides for Switch andSignal Rods, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such im provements; and it consists of thenovel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described andsubsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and to the referencecharacters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in elevation, showing the inventionapplied to a series of guides for switch and signal rods. Fig. 2 is aView of the same, partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section,on the broken line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofone oftheretaining roller-supportingshafts detached. Fig. 4: is a View in sideelevation of one of the standards.

This invention relates to antifriction supporting and guiding mechanismfor rods used for the positive operation of switches and signals inconnection with railway systems.

The objects of the invention are to simplify the construction, reducethe number of parts, and provide for the accurate spacing of thesupporting-standards for the guide mechanism. The standards arepreferably interchangeable and adapted for use in series.

Referring to the drawings, the standards v are shown each comprising anupright 1, having on its lower end feet 2, adapted to be bolted to asuitable support and of a width adapted by engagement of those of onestandard with those of the adjacent standards to secure proper spacingof the lower ends of the standards when arranged in a group or series inuse. Each upright is provided with a horizontal slot 3, bordered by theflange 4, which slot is adapted to receive and form hearings on oppositesides of the standard for the neighboring trunnions 5 of neighboringsupporting-rollers 6, peripherally grooved to receive and support thesignal or switch operating rods. A portion of the flange 4 on each sideof the upright is removed, as shown at 7, forming an opening leadingfrom the upper side of the bearing-slot, through which the trunnion 5 isfree to pass in removing the roller 6 from or placing it in itsbearings. The supporting-roller can thus be removed and replaced withoutseparating the standards.

The upper end of each upright is provided on opposite sides with similarrecesses 8, separated by the diaphragm or Web 9, each of which recesseshas a top opening of approximately the same area as the recess, andacontracted slotted lateral aperture 10, continuous with the topopening. The contracted slotted lateral aperture is formed byintroverted lugs or flanges 11, forming part of the upright casting.

The retaining-roller 12 is mounted above the supporting-roller 6 betweenthe upper ends of thestandards upon the shaft 13, and the ends of saidshaft are inserted in the respective recesses S. The shaft 13 ispreferably of a diameter greater than the width of the slots 10 and isprovided near its ends with contracted portions 14, adapted to enter andfit said slots when the ends of the shaft, which remain of the normaldiameter, are inserted in the respective recesses 8. The portions of theshaft adjacent to the contracted portions 1e form offsets or abutments15, which engage and closely fit the flanges 11, adjacent to the slots10, and thus rigidly connect together the edges of neighboringstandards, maintaining the same properly spaced.

It will be seen that the retaining-roller-supporting shafts can beeasily and quickly inserted and removed through the upper open ends ofthe recesses 8.

As a preferred means for securing the shafts against upward displacementin their bearings a retaining key or pin 16 is inserted through anaperture 17 in the web 9 in position to overhang neighboring ends ofneighboring shafts 13, a single pin or retainer thus serving to lockboth shafts in their bearings.

The improved standards above described can be easily cast ready for usewithout drilling or machine-work,and a simple swaging operation issufficient to form the contracted portions of the shaft, which itselfforms the sole spacing mechanism for the upper ends of the standards,and while the construction is inexpensive it is highly eflicient tomaintain the standards properly spaced. The standards, beinginterchangeable and reversible, can be thus connected in series byasuccession of comparatively short shafts 13, permitting the removal ofany one shaft,with its roller 12, without interference with the othermembers of the series.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a pair of standards, of a supporting-rollerjournaled in said standards; aretaining-roller; and ashaft for theretaining-roller having end bearings in said standards; andinterengaging ofisets on the ends of said shaft integral therewith andwalls of said bearings integral therewith respectively, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with a standard having in its upper end a recess witha contracted lateral opening; of a roller-supporting shaft inserted insaid opening and provided with an end offset located in said recess,substantially as described.

3. The combination with a standard provided in its upper end with arecess having a top opening of approximately the same area as the recessand acontracted slotted lateral aperture continuous with the topopening; of a roller-supporting shaft having a contracted portion seatedin said slotted lateral aperture, and an offsetting end portion locatedin said recess; and retaining mechanism overhanging saidshaft,substantially as described.

4:. In combination, a plurality of standards adapted for use in series,each comprising an upright having in its upper end bearing-recessesopening upwardly and in opposite directions laterally, and separatedfrom each other by an apertured web; of supportingrollers journaled insaid standards; retaining-rollers; and shafts supporting saidretaining-rollers and having the neighboring ends of two shafts seatedin the oppositely-opening recesses in one of said uprights; and re-,

A. ll. RENSHAXV.

Witnesses:

EUGENE SEITZ, J. RUssELL COLEMAN.

